NABH Education and Research Foundation to Host Workforce Webinar in January
The NABH Education and Research Foundation is pleased to host its first webinar, Redesigning the Present and Future of Behavioral Healthcare, on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024 from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. ET.
Foundation President Donald Parker, who serves as president of Behavioral Health Care Transformation Services for Hackensack Meridian Health, will co-lead the webinar with workforce consultant Beth Kuhn of Stonegate Strategies.
Kuhn has more than 30 years of workforce experience – with special interest and expertise in behavioral healthcare workforce development – and has served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, including in her roles as commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Workforce Investment and as Vermont’s director of workforce development. Kuhn’s accomplishments include creating the Strategic Initiative for Transformation Employment, or SITE, a statewide model designed to bridge the gap between recovery and workforce participation for individuals active in their recovery from substance use issues.
During this interactive webinar, participants are encouraged to ask questions of Parker and Kuhn, who will provide an overview of existing behavioral healthcare workforce challenges; explain why America’s current workforce structure doesn’t meet present or future workforce needs; suggest redesign strategies, present examples of current successes; and offer ideas about how to leverage current options to help providers develop a more robust workforce system.
Please join us and click here to register for this free webinar!
NABH 2024 Board Election Ballots Due Friday, Dec. 29!
NABH has e-mailed system members NABH Board of Trustees candidate profiles and a ballot to elect new members to the 2024 Board.
If you have not done so, please vote for the open Board Chair-Elect position and four available Board seats; sign the ballot (it is not valid without a signature); and return it to NABH. You can do this by scanning your completed ballot and e-mailing it nabh@nabh.org or maria@nabh.org.
NABH must receive all ballots no later than Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. New Board members and the Board Chair-elect will take office in January 2024.
SAMHSA Releases Advisory on Implementing Low-Barrier Care to Expand Access and Improve Outcomes for Individuals with SUD
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released an advisory that outlines recommendations to implement low barrier models of care to significantly expand access to lifesaving treatment for individuals with substance use disorders (SUD).
Despite evidence showing the effectiveness of SUD treatment, fewer than 10% of individuals who need care receive it. Barriers such as lack of treatment availability, strict program requirements, stigma, and discrimination.
The advisory emphasizes the importance of low barrier care in overcoming substantial gaps in access to SUD treatment and engaging more people in care.
Reminder: NABH’s Enhanced Denial-of-Care Portal is Now Available
NABH thanks all members who have submitted data to the association’s Denial-of-Care Portal. You have provided critical information that expands the portal and helps NABH strengthen its advocacy efforts related to erroneous prior-authorization denials.
With guidance from our members, NABH has improved the portal by adding two elements:
Time-based data on the number of days between a request for coverage and a plan’s denial, which improves our ability to assess and compare health plan responsiveness.
The gap between days of provided care versus days of covered care to quantify and compare uncompensated days per health plan.
We strongly encourage all NABH members to submit their denial-of-care data in the portal. If you need help starting, or if you have other questions, please e-mail NABH Associate Manager for Congressional Affairs Emily Wilkins.
Save the Date for the NABH 2024 Annual Meeting!
Please mark your calendars and plan to join us at the Salamander Washington, DC from May 13-15, 2024 for next year’s NABH Annual Meeting!
Fact of the Week
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that while the provisional number of suicides in 2022 (49,449) was 3% higher than in 2021 (48,183), suicide rates for people in age groups 10–14, 15–24, and 25–34 declined 18%, 9%, and 2%, respectively, from 2021 to 2022.
Happy Holidays from NABH!
NABH will not publish CEO Update next week and will resume on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. The entire NABH team wishes you, your families, and your teams a very happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.
